Getting Marriage Registered

[Kf6vci]

Hi Gang. Any advice on getting a marriage registered?

Ceremony: at the monks' hospital. My nationality: German. One previous marriage, divorce papers were corroborated by Superior Court in California and I became "a single man" in January 2008.

Alas, German bureaucracy is extreme and THB 100,000 might not be enough to get all the junk translated and corroborated by the Secretary of State in California. we are talking serious paperwork here with 1 previous marriage and divorce in California.

Who would want to go to jail for bigamy?!

Cheers.

[Mario2008]

Congratulations on your wedding and I hpe you can register the marriage soon.

For registering a mariage in Thailand you need to have the capacity to mariage form signed by the German embassy. It is up to them to decide the rules under wich they will certify that you are currently not maried (deforced). I'm surprised that the German government would like to see the documents translated into German. I would think legalisation would be enough as it is in English. As far as I know the Thai governent doesn't need to see a translation of all the paperwork. Only of the certificate to get married.

[lopburi3]

To register requires paperwork from your Embassy that you are free to marry (single) so you really need to get the paperwork in order if you want a legal marriage.

[HorstSchlemmer]

Congratulations !!!!

Edited June 16, 2008 by HorstSchlemmer

[ThaiLawOnline]

First step is to get a kind of affidavit (declaration that you are free to marry) from your embassy.

You are not lucky because the German embassy is one of the most difficult and they normally need all original papers (divorce or death certificate if your spouse died, etc.). Each embasssy is different. In Canada, you just swear that you are free to get married and pay about 1500 baht. The Dutch embassy also requires many times documents legalized or notarized...

Second step is to translate this affidavit in Thai.

Third step is to go to the ministry of foreign affairs in BKK. The will LEGALIZED the affidavit in Thai and in the other language, normally it's in English. Not sure if yours from Germany will be in English or German. Price is 400 baht for express service per document (2 hours). or 200 baht to get them the next day. I recommend you the express service if you don't want to make the trip twice. You can also send a messenger... it's about 700 baht in some agencies.

Fourth step is going to the amphur with these documents, your passport, her Thai ID, her Ta bian ban and you sign the documents. It should be quick. Cost is around 40 baht!

Congratulations!

PS: If you do a prenuptial, it must be registered at the amphur when you get married or it is VOID under Thai law.

[raro]

I spoke yesterday to the Standesamt (i.e. the guys who are in charge for issuing the marriage permit) in Germany.

They want also documents from the wife, the copies must be certified by the embassy. On top of that - because I live here already 11 years - they want me to swear an oath at the embassy that I am single.

What confuses me, is that the Thai Amphoer wants only a certificate that I am not married, the Germans go a big step further and want to approve that I can marry this specific person.

Is there a way getting only the single certificate out of the Germans and if yes how does it work.

And another question as we are on it: What about the namechange according to Thai law? Is it possible to add the Thai last name to mine?

[Mario2008]

There is no way around this. The Thai government leaves it up to the German embassy to check if your allowed to marry, since the Thai government can't check if you have been married before outside of Thailand. The embassy also check the i.d. of the future wife or husband by agreement with Thailand.

As for the name change, I'm not sure. Prepare your name in Thai, as they will register your name in Thai. I know the wife can make use of the husbands name, but I'm not sure the husband can make use of the wife's name.

[leemo]

To register requires paperwork from your Embassy that you are free to marry (single) so you really need to get the paperwork in order if you want a legal marriage.

I imagine if you have been married and legally divorced, even if you do not declare that marriage on the Affirmation you are single and therefore free to legally marry. The (Brit) embassy do not check more than your personal particulars, and in effect they are no more than witnessing your signature on the Affirmation of Freedom to Marry.

There are many reasons for not declaring a previous marriage and divorce, one being the associated difficulties in obtaining the relevant documents, especially if the events took place a long time ago.